Delhi faces severe heatwave as IMD issues ‘orange alert’ | Weather update

On Friday, a 'severe heatwave' scorched Delhi with the city recording a maximum temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius.

The meteorological office issued an orange alert Saturday, warning of a 'severe heatwave' in the national capital for the next two days with the maximum temperature expected to hover around 42 degrees Celsius.

A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature hits 45 degrees Celsius or is above 40 degrees Celsius in summer with a variation of five degrees or more above the normal temperatures. (File photo)

"The northwest India and adjoining parts of central India are predicted to see more intense and frequent heatwave conditions in April," the weather department said as per news agency PTI. "The frequency of intense heatwave conditions will be higher in April as compared to March. We expect the heatwave conditions to continue till April 15 in some parts," the department said.

On Friday, a 'severe heatwave' scorched Delhi with the city recording a maximum temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius, seven notches above normal and the highest so far this year.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, recorded a maximum temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius on Friday. The weather stations at Mungeshpur, Najafgarh, Pitampura and Sports Complex recorded maximum temperatures of 43 degrees Celsius, 43.3 degrees Celsius, 43.4 degrees Celsius, and 43.9 degrees Celsius, respectively as per PTI.

A 'heatwave' is declared for the plains when the maximum temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius and at least 4.5 notches above normal. IMD declares a 'severe heatwave' is declared if the departure from normal temperature is more than 6.4 notches.

This year, India recorded its warmest March in 122 years with a severe heatwave scorching large swathes of the country during the month. The weather department attributed the heat to the lack of rainfall due to the absence of active western disturbances over north India and any major system over south India.